Samuel Lloyd Tickle (born 31 March 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Bristol City.
Club career Wigan Athletic Sam Tickle is a youth product of Wigan Athletic, having joined their youth academy in 2012. He was released at the end of the 2018 season. He then signed for Pilkington, making 21 league appearances and was named player of the season as they won the Cheshire Football League. During the 2018–19 season he was also selected as the number one for England Schoolboys FA & represented his country making five appearances, conceding only once. In 2019, he rejoined Wigan Athletic as a scholar.
He made his professional debut with Wigan in a 2–0 EFL Trophy loss to Crewe Alexandra on 5 October 2021.
On 19 March 2022, Tickle joined Northern Premier League Premier Division side Nantwich Town on a youth loan until 14 April 2022.
In July 2022, he joined Northern Premier League side Warrington Rylands on loan until January 2023. He made two appearances for the club, but was recalled by Wigan following an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Ben Amos. He was named on the bench against Birmingham City on 20 August 2022. He returned to Warrington Rylands on loan until January, but after four appearances was recalled again due to injuries to Jones and then Amos. He was named on the bench against Hull City and for the consecutive 10 games.
Despite off-the-field issues within the club, Tickle signed a new contract with Wigan Athletic in April 2023. On 8 May 2023, the final day of the 2022–23 season, Tickle was handed his league debut, keeping a clean sheet as already relegated Wigan held Rotherham United to a goalless draw.
Ahead of the 2023–24 season, Tickle was handed the number one shirt, manager Shaun Maloney revealing that he had known since his arrival that the goalkeeper would be his first-choice. Following a highly impressive debut season that saw him labelled the best goalkeeper in the English Football League by his manager, Tickle was named Wigan's Player of the Year, the first goalkeeper to win the award in thirteen years. Following the conclusion of the season, he signed a new four-year contract amid reported interest from a number of Championship clubs.
On 27 April 2025, Tickle was named in the EFL League One Team of the Season.
Bristol City On 25 June 2026, Tickle's move to Bristol City was announced on a four year deal for an undisclosed fee.
International career In September 2023, Tickle was called up to the England under-21 squad for the first time. He made his U21 debut on 26 March 2024, playing the duration of a 7–0 win 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification win over Luxembourg at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsPilkington2018-19Cheshire Premier Division210——00210Total210——00210Wigan Athletic2020–21League One00000000002021–22League One00000010102022–23Championship100000—102023–24League One4603010205202024–25 League One4604010005102025–26 League One460403000530Total139011050301580Nantwich Town (loan)2021–22Northern Premier Division70——0070Total70——0070Warrington Rylands (loan)2022–23Northern Premier Division60——0060Total60——0060Bristol City2026–27Championship000010—10Total000010—10Career total173011060301930
Honours Individual Wigan Athletic Player of the Year: 2023–24 Wigan Athletic Players' Player of the Year: 2023–24 EFL League One Team of the Season: 2024–25
References
External links
Warrington Rylands stats